Postponement in the Anele Bhengu murder case ‘a delaying tactic’

Published Sep 8, 2021

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DURBAN - THE director of the KwaZulu-Natal lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) group, Hlengiwe Buthelezi, described on Tuesday’s postponement in the Anele Bhengu case as a delaying tactic.

Bhengu, 22, was a member of the LGBTQ group. She was found with multiple stab wounds near her home in KwaMakhuta, south of Durban, in June.

Thulani Nandos Cele has been charged with Bhengu’s murder and appeared in the Umbumbulu Magistrate’s Court. National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Kara said the matter was postponed to September 14 for further investigation.

“Bhengu was a lesbian woman who was open about her sexuality. The LGBTIQA+ community pinned her killing on hate crime since she never hid her sexuality,” said Buthelezi.

“The case was postponed because the docket was not found. This is just negligence. We see this as a delaying tactic. The police are dragging their feet so that he can get a lesser sentence.”

Buthelezi said the Hate Crime Bill would make a huge difference in the conviction of such cases.

“The death penalty needs to be brought back. There are to many gender-based violence and hate crimes in this country. The perpetrators know they will just walk away from the court, free. In 2018, there were discussions about the Hate Crime Bill. We know of three deaths in Durban. What about the rest of the country?”

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